Sealed envelope assembly with interior mailing material



Sept. 5, 1967 D, .1. STEIDINGER 3,339,827

SEALED ENVELOPE ASSEMBLY WITH INTERIOR MAILING MATERIAL Filed Jan. 17, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet l F151 FEE F155 y F154 l l/ o Sept. 5, 1967 D. J. STEIDINGER 3,339,827

SEALED ENVELOPE ASSEMBLY WITH INTERIOR MAILING MATERIAL 'Filed Jan. 17, 1966 3 SheetS-Sheet F157 FIEEI 1: 55 il M 1 56 H oaoooopqooooooo Sept. 5, i967 D. J. STEIDINGER 3,339,827

SEALED ENVELOPE ASSEMBLY WITH INTERIOR MAILING MATERAL Filed Jan. 17, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 15 Maa f M74 I/f 175 iV /75 gz/zssssgm fianza United States Patent C) 3,339,827 SEALED ENVELOPE ASSEMBLY WITH INTERIOR MAILING MATERIAL Donald J. Steidinger, Barrington, Ill., assignor to Varco Incorporated, a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 521,032 25 Claims. (Cl. 229-69) This present invention relates to business forms and more particularly to a continuous control punch business form including stuffed. sealed envelopes associated with business records for receiving variable information.

This invention is primarily an improvement over the invention disclosed in my prior Patent No. 3,104,799 entitled, Envelope Assembly, and issued Sept. 24, 1963. My prior patent, together with patents to Wanser, No. 2,148,886; Sherman, No. 2,257,766; and Hanrahan, No. 3,186,735, are representative of the prior art in this field.

Many business operations may utilize imprinting equipment to apply variable information such as a name and address, meter reading, an invoice, an account number, an amount of money being billed and similar information applicable .to the addressee of the envelope. By incorporating a sealed preprinted and stuffed envelope with business forms, a single step of running the forms through ofiice business equipment may suffice to provide the mailing piece and record copies thereof simultaneously. Continuous form envelopes as disclosed herein may have p reprinted vinterior sheets which may also have space for receiving variable information. In those instances where the insert sheets do have the. space to receive variable information, a business oliice may apply the variable information to the interior sheets by a suitable imprinting apparatus which may be transferred through a suitable transfer medium, either formed as party of the underside of one of the envelope plies or as a separate sheet or from the reaction of an impression made on the two adjacent sheets. It is intended that the interior plies within the envelopes will be easily removable in a manner completely comprehensible to the recipient of the envelope.

In one form of the present invention, the intesior sheets are die cut completely loose from a continuous web and ,maintained in registration within the pockets of the envelopes. Such close registration may be obtained by the closeness of the edges of the envelope, for example, as defined by lines of adhesive, to the edges of the interior sheets or through the use of some spot-like frangible connection with one ply of the envelope.

In another form, the interior sheets have a pair of margins spaced inwardly from the margins that will become the envelope sides but the sheets extend across those portions to be formed as the envelope tops and bottoms and are adhered to the envelope assembly in that area to maintain positive registration.

In another form, one margin of the insert ply is spaced inwardly from one longitudinal margin of the resultant envelope with the other margin generally aligned withv the opposite edge of the envelope plies and, if desired, adhered in that area as well as being adhered in the area of the resultant envelope tops and bottoms. Securement of the interior sheet along the other margin may be broken and access to the interior of the envelope gained by means of an appropriately located tear strip or by prior trimming of the marginal area of the envelope. Frangible connections are provided in the interior sheet to the inside of the adherence at the envelope tops and bottoms so that the recipient of the envelope may effortlessly break the connection in this area and extract the insert sheet.

"The Sherman Patent 2,257,766 disclosed a stationery strip divided into a series of successive checks and having a partial pocket on the underside for the reception of a ready-made envelope. The concept of the Sherman patent was that certain identification imparted to the checks which made up the stationery strip would be simultaneously imparted to the face of the envelope and the checks could be subsequently separated from the strip and separately stuffed into the envelopes. While this was an initial step in an effort to simultaneously impart information to the face of an envelope and to insert material, Shermans invention still required a separate stuifing of the insert material into the envelope. In contrast, the invention disclosed herein, as well as in the other patents mentioned, envisions prestuifed envelopes.

Wanser 2,148,886, and particularly in FIGURE l2 of this patent, disclosed a stuffed envelope assembly Wherein the interior sheet was secured throughout its entire periphery within a sealed envelope. In order to remove the insert sheet, it was necessary to tear off the entire periphery of the envelopt unit. My prior patent and the instant invention are directed to an envelope assembly wherein the insert material is secured within a closed mailable envelope in such a fashion that the act of opening the envelope and extracting the insert requires a mine peared similar to that commonly associated with writing stationery. One definite limitation of this iform of envelope assembly is that it is not at all adapted to use in continuous form assembly.

My prior Patent 3,104,799 disclosed a sealed envelope assembly having at least one insert sheet wherein the insert sheet had one side margin, or that margin adjacent the control punch margin, which extended into the adjacent glued margin of the superposed plies and was captivated therebetween. A line of weakening extended through the outer envelope .plies and the insert plies were spaced interiorly of the glue margin so that the envelope was opened and the insert sheet released by tearing along the line of weakening. The remaining three sides of the insert sheet were die cut in various fashions effectively to befree ofthe peripheral margins of the envelope unit formed in the assembly with just the aforedescribed margin attached to the assembly to facilitate registration.

It is the general object of this invention to provide a new and improved business form incorporating a prestuged, enclosed envelope.

. It is the principle object of this invention to provide a continuous envelope assembly with interior sheets within the envelope which are both held in proper registry with the envelope and with other business forms for receiving variable information applicable only to the addressee of the envelope and which, when received by the addressee are either loose or seemingly loose within the envelope sheets to be easily extracted, this general object to be obtained by several modifications to be disclosed which generally follow the aforementioned concepts.

Another object of this invention is to provide a continuous form envelope assembly with at least one insert sheetA wherein the margins of the insert sheet are entirely free of direct securement to the front and back plies which form the envelope so that upon extraction of the insert sheet from the envelope, the recipient receives a sheet which has four cut sides and therefore is completely free of any slightly ragged edges which might be resultant where perforation or weakening lines are used to provide a means for releasing a captivated insert sheet from an envelope.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a continuous form envelope assembly wherein the insert sheet has its longitudinal margins spaced inwardly from those margins of the assembly which will become the sides of the envelope with lines of weakening provided adjacent to cross lines of gluing at the top and bottom of the envelope so that the envelope may be opened by tearing across the top and bottom to release the interior contents.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a continuous form envelope assembly wherein the interior ply is secured along three margins with a line of Weakening along two of the three margins in the insert sheet only and a line of lweakening through the front and back envelope plies and the insert sheet along the third margin, the last margin retaining its control punch holes to facilitate registration during assembly and being removed to substantially free the insert sheet when the envelope front and back plies are torn along the aforedescri-bed line of weakening with the other two lines of weakening affording such a frangible connection that the recipient will hardly realize that the remainder of the sheet was secured in the interior of the envelope.

These foregoing objects of this invention will be described with relation to the embodiments illustrated in the aforementioned concepts.

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a ply of stationery which is to be utilized as the insert ply for an insert sheet within the envelope assembly with the ply in a stage -of preparation, such as being preprinted with information in defined spaces, prior to being incorporated within an envelope assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a view of the ply shown in FIGURE l in a subsequent state of manufacture wherein portions of the ply have been cut away across the width of the ply to generally longitudinally divide the ply into individual insert sheet units attached only along one thin line in a margin having control punch openings so as to facilitate subsequent control during assembly within stationery plies forming an envelope front and back;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the insert ply of FIGURES l and 2 assembled within stationery sheets which form the fronts and backs of `the individual envelopes to be formed from the continuous assembly and illustrating the partial captivation of the insert ply by the glue lines on the front and back sheets which substantially surround the individual insert unit portions of the ply;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan View of the finished continuous business form shown in FIGURE 3 with a portion thereof turned back for clarity of illustration, showing the individual insert sheets now held between the front and back plies of the envelope assembly by mere captivation within longitudinal and cross glue lines, the control punch margin of the insert ply having been removed to separate the ply into the aforementioned individual cut sheets now free from attachment to the front and back plies of the envelope;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view with portions cut away of a slightly different form of the invention wherein the insert ply is slightly narrow in relation to the width of the plies forming the front and back of the envelope with a longitudinal margin spaced inwardly from the marginal edge of the front and back plies but with the opposite longitudinal margin of the insert ply and its associated control punch openings generally in registry with the `corresponding marginal areas of the envelope front and back plies;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view with portions cut away of another slightly different form of the invention wherein the insert ply has both its longitudinally extending marginal edges spaced inwardly from the envelope marginal edges and the longitudinally extending glue lines of the envelope front and back plies;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of an individual finished envelope as separated from the assembly shown in FIG- URE 4 with marginal portions containing the control punch margins removed, portions of the envelope being turned back for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of a modified envelope assembly similar to FIGURE 4 with a portion turned back to illustrate an interruption in a cross line of gluing which affords a means for receiving a letter opening tool to facilitate the opening of a sealed envelope formed by this assembly and separated therefrom;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary broken view showing two steps in the assembly of a modified embodiment of the envelope assembly shown in FIGURES 1 through 4 wherein an auxiliary spot-like frangible tie means is utilized to facilitate securement of the cut or free insert sheet within the envelope assembly;

FIGURE l0 is a fragmentary broken view showing two steps in the assembly of a further modification of the envelope assembly as shown in FIGURE 9 wherein the opposite longitudinal edges of the envelope assembly have been cut away along a line spaced inwardly from the longitudinally extending glue lines so that the resultant envelopes separated from the assembly are provided with open sides;

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary broken view showing the sequential steps of assembly of a further modified form of the envelope assembly of this invention utilizing the cut or free insert sheets as shown in FIGURES l through 4 and 7 through l0 but utilizing a continuous ply of stationery as the envelope enclosure;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary broken view showing the sequential steps of assembly of another modified form of the assembly of this invention utilizing an insert sheet as shown in FIGURE 5 within an envelope enclosure formed by folding a single ply upon itself as shown in FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary broken view showing the sequential steps of assembly of yet another modified form of the assembly of this invention utilizing an insert sheet as shown in FIGURE 6 within an envelope enclosure formed as shown in FIGURES l1 and l2; and

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary broken View of the sequential steps of manufacture of an envelope assembly utilizing a cut or free insert sheet as shown in FIGURE 1 through 4, 7 through 10, and l2 wherein the envelope closure is formed by folding a single sheet of material about itself along one line.

As shown in FIGURE l, stationery insert ply or strip 10 has at one margin 12 a plurality of control punch holes or openings 14 providing a feed band which may be used for alignment during manufacture and assembly. The insert strip may be preprinted in certain discrete areas designated generally 16 within the dotted rectangular outline. Such preprinting will generally include material which will be the same from one mailing to another, like the name of a company, information as to what the communication is about, and boxes for variable information which may be provided.

The strip 10 is then die cut generally transversely across its longitudinal extent at spaced locations between the preprinted areas to remove the portions of the strip extending from the one margin 18 well into, but not through, the other margin 12. Each cut provides a slot 20 substantially equidistant between the preprinted areas 16 which terminates in a rounded end portion 21 within margin 12. The die cutting in effect divides the strip into individual sheet portions 22, each containing the preprinted portions 16 having side marginal edge 18, top and bottom edges 20a and yet with the several sheets 22 secured together by means of the margin 12 having the control punch openings 14.

The insert ply 10 is then positioned between envelope back strip 24 and envelope front strip 26. Each strip 24 and 26 is wider than strip 10 and provided with opposite margins 24a, 24h, and 26a, 26b, respectively, each of the margins having control punch holes or openings 24C and 26C therein, respectively. The margins 24a and 26a are superposed relative to margin 12 so that the control punch openings 24e and 26C are in substantial registry with openings 14. The opposite margins 24b and 2Gb extend beyond the opposite edge 18 of the strip 10 and are positioned so that the control punch openings 24c and 26C are in substantial registry with each other.

Prior to assembly, a longitudinally extending adhesive strip 30 is provided on at least one of either the front and the back strips in the marginal portions 24a and 24b, spaced outwardly from the marginal edge 18 of strip 10. Furthermore, transversely extending branches of adhesive 32 extend across the front and back strips 24 and 26 in registry with the slots 20 formed in the insert ply 10. This forms series of generally U-shaped pockets between the front and back strips 24 and 26 defined by the glue lines 30 and 32 within which the sheet portions 22 of the strip or ply are received. The fact that the front and back strips are close together and against the sheet with their adhered parts close to the margins of the sheet-like parts 22 of the s trip 10 causes a very close retention of the interior strip between the envelope front and back.

The margin 12 of the strip 10 is then removed along a line which intersects the inner ends 21 of slots 20 between the sheet-like portions so that the sheet-like portions 22 actually become separate, distinct -sheets 22a with another free side margin 33 (FIGURE 4), each of which is caught within a pocket within the envelope back and front strip. This may be accomplished by turning the envelope front and back strips upwardly and backwardly to expose the marginal material 12 for trimming. After this marginal material 12 has been removed, each of the sheets will remain in positive registration with the envelope front and back due to its being closely held within the pockets formed between the strips.

After the physical separation of the several sheets 22a, additional adhesive is applied along a line 34 just inside of the control punch openings 24C and 26C in order to fasten the envelopes together just inside of such margin. Also, adhesive 32a is applied between the envelope front and back in alignment with the adhesive 32 which formed the sides of the pocket for the insert material in the rst instance. v

The envelope front and back may be provided with a half-moon shaped die cut 36 forming a thumb notch which will cooperate with a line of weakening 38 formed longitudinally of the assembly inside of glue line 34, providing a tear-off strip at the end of the envelope whichA will expose the ends of the interior sheets 22a, quite ob viously showing the recipient that they are present and may be removed.

The stri-ps forming the front and back of the envelope are usually provided with return addresses, printed mailing privilege and whatever other material desired by the particular customer buying the business form. Finally, a series o-f spaced, substantially parallel cross perforation lines 40 will be provided in the assembled continuous strip, generally mid-way of-the glue lines 32, thereby separating the assembly into individual form lengths of envelope units 41, The assembly is generally folded along the perforated lines so that the continuous strips may be zigzag-folded for final shipment to a customer.

`The customer may su-pply the names of selected addressees to the Vseveral individuall envelope units formed 43 of the finished envelope and mail the individual envelopes to the selected recipients whose names and addresses have been suitably applied thereto.

The recipient of these envelopes will receive a sealed, stuffed envelope with or without the feed bands represented by the control punch margins shown on the iinal assembly in FIGURE 4 depending on the preference of the customer. The customer for the business form may have also applied variable information to the assembly prior to removing the feed bands and separating the envelopes apart as disclosed in my Patent 3,104,799. The envelope will be preprinted with instructions for the recipient to remove the perforated strip 38 at one end of the envelope which intersects the die cut 36 forming the thumb notch. Such procedure opens the envelope so that the loose interior sheets may be extracted. y

The modification shown in FIGURE 8 illustrates an envelope assembly similar to that shown in FIGURE 4 wherein an interruption 46 in the cross line of gluing 32 is provided which affords a means for inserting a letter opening tool to permit the completed separated envelope 41 to be opened in the usual fashion. In such a case, the line of weakening 38 would be unnecessary.

The modification illustrated in FIGURE 9 shows a symbolically represented frangible connecting means `48 which connects each portion 22 of strip 10 to one of the front or back plies of the assembly. It is envisioned that such a tie means could be a staple, an extremely easily releasable glue, or similar frangible tie means. This would serve to afford a more positive containment of the individual sheet within the contines of the envelope. One such glue which would be suitable for this purpose is resin glue with a water base made by Stein Hall Co. of Chicago, Ill. The glue has very light holding properties against peeling or pulling.

Such a glue might be utilized to hold the front and back plies together, in which case access to the interior of the envelope pocket could be gained by peeling back the plies, thereby eliminating the need for lines of weakening, such as 38.

The modification shown in FIGURE l0 illustrates that the envelope, wherein the assembly is provided with the frangible connecting means 48, may be cut inside the longitudinal glue lines 30 and 34 (or such glue lines may be originally omitted) leaving side margins 50a of the envelope which are open to the interior thereof. However, the frangible connection 48 will hold the insert 22a within theconines of the envelope and the recipient need merely reach in at one of the margins 50a and easily extract the insert sheet 22 which will have four cut edges 20a, 18, 20a, and 33 and bear virtually no sign of attachment to the envelope. It is also obvious that with the modication shown in FIGURE 10 neither die cut 36 nor line of weakening 38 would be necessary.

In FIGURE 5, an envelope assembly substantially similar to that shown in FIGURE 4 is illustrated. Herein the interior ply 71 has one margin 72 short of the adhesive line 73 substantially as previously described. The interior ply 71 extends through the cross-lines 73a of adhesive and is actually adhered to the top and bottom of the er1- velope in this area. Long die cut slits 74 separated by narrow ties 75 join the ply 71 to that portion of the sheet strip which is adhered in the cross-lines of adhesive 73a. When the eventual envelope is opened along the longitudinal line of weakening 76 adjacent the lower margin of the envelope, the interior sheet is not actually loose from the envelope, but still caught by the narrow ties 75. These ties are so small and so frangible that a -person reaching in the envelope to extractthe sheetwill break the ties with the normal force of extracting any sheet from within the envelope. The person receiving the envelope would i and the diiculty of removing7 the sheet from the envelope by the addressee is of relatively secondary importance. In such instances, a very economical construction can be employed. In FIGURE 6, the interior insert strip 77 has its margins 78 and '79, respectively, spaced inwardly from the longitudinal lines of adhesive 80 and 81. The strip extends continuous-ly through the crosslines of adhesive 82 which adhere the front `83 and back 84 of the envelope together. The interior ply and the envelope front and back are provided with cross-lines of weakening 85 and 86 on either side of the cross glue line 82. The control punch margins -87 and 88 of the stationery will be removed by the business house sending out the mail. When the addressee receives the envelope, he will have printed instructions on the envelope to tear off both the top and bottom. This will completely free the interior sheet 89. It will also make the envelope have an open top and bottom, but this is of little consequence since the envelope will probably be discarded in any event. Manufacturing registration may be accomplished by holes 90 in the bottom and insert plies spaced to fall in the cross adhesive lines 82.

It should be understood that the business forms asse-mbled with the continuous form envelopes may be provided with a spot of carbon on the lowermost form over the area of the address on the envelope in order that a billing machine pressure impact will register to place the add-ressees name and address upon the envelope. The area of the envelope front over which the variable information is to be placed may be blank so that it will not register upon the envelope. In the event that a carbon strip is used between the business forms and the envelope front, the envelope may be provided with a dark, printed blockout area over the area in which the variable information would be placed. Suitable location of carbon areas are provided so that the imprinted material will register on the various plies of the assembly where desired.

Instead of providing lines of weakening across the form, such as 40, along which the continuous form may be separated into individual form lengths by the customer after the desired information has been imprinted on the front thereof, it is possi-ble that the envelopes may be cut along lines similar to 40 and shipped to the customer as individual envelopes 'with the -mailing information to be applied by means such as labeling.

Also, in some instances it may not be necessary that all sides of the envelope be sealed, in which case some glue lines could be eliminated. For example, in the embodiment should in FIGUR-E 5, glue lines 73 could be eliminated and -the resultant envelope would have two open sides but still be secured at the top and bottom along lines 73a. The recipient could extract the insert sheet from the interior of the envelope by merely reaching through an open side and pulling out the insert sheet against the negligible restraining force afforded by the narrow ties 75. In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 6, longitudinal lines of adhesive 80 and -81 could be eliminated.

It is possi-ble that the continuous stationery ply which serves to form the envelope fronts and backs could be formed from a single sheet of stationery rather than from two superposed sheets as disclosed in the embodiment shown in FII'GU-RES 1 through 10. Moreover, this could be accomplished without altering the basic structure of the insert sheet from the three embodiments shofwn in the preceding figures. For example, FIGURES 11 through 13 disclose the use of a single ply of stationery folded about two longitudinal lines to form the envelope enclosure for the three different types of previously described insert sheets shown.

Stationery ply 124, shown in FIGURE ll, includes central portion 124a and side portions or aps 1-24b and 124C which may be `folded about longitudinal lines 125a and 125b, respectively, to form an envelope enclosure. Control punch openings 126 and 127 may be formed in flaps 124b and 124C, respectively, for mating with open-- ings 12-8 and 129, respectively, in the margins of central portions 124a when the flaps are folded about lines 1-25a and 125b to form the enclosure. The insert sheet 10 is the same as described with reference to FIGURES 1 through 4 and includes one margin 12 having control punch openings y14 for aiding initial feeding and registration. The opposite margin 18 is spaced inwardly from the control punch holes 128 in the body 124a. The sheet is die cut as at 20 to form individual sections 22 which Iwill become individual cut sheet portions 22a when the remaining margin is removed as previously described.

It is to be understood, especially with reference to FIGUR-E 11 and FIGURE 14 to be described later herein, that, as explained with reference to FIGURES 1 through 4, the side -18 `of the sheet 22a will be extremely close to the glue lines formed on the envelope fronts and backs so that this close juxtaposition will actually hold the insert sheets in registration during assembly. Any apparently disproportionate spacing shown in the drawings is lmerely for the purposes of clarity of illustration and is not to be taken as being inconsistent with the disclosure of the specification herein.

Stationery ply 124 is preferably provided with a first longitudinally extending line of adhesive 130 which is to be positioned closely adjacent the marginal edge 18 of insert sheet 10. In addition, transverse lines of adhesive 132 are also provided for extending between the die cut openings 20. Flap 124C is then folded about line 125 inwardly upon the remainder of the assembly as shown so that the opposite margin 14 of sheet :10 may be removed along the line which extends interiorly of the end of die cut 20 to form the individual cut sheets 22a with opposite margins 18 and 33 as previously described. A line of adhesive (not shown) may then be provided in a similar fashion as was done with regard to adhesive 34 sholwn in FIGURE 4 and flap 124b folded about line 12511 so that it slightly overlies flap 124C to completely enclose the assembly. The slight overlap will serve to seal the assembly in these areas by means of glue lines 132.

Half-moon die cut 136 may be provided so that tearing along the longitudinal line of weakening 138 which extends in the very narrow space between a glue line and marginal edge 33 will afford a means for opening the envelope and extracting sheet 22a from the interior.

Transverse lines of weakening 140 are provided, preferably generally bisecting the transverse glue lines 132 for separating the assembly into individual envelope units 141. Prior to separating the assembly, the marginal portions containing the control punch holes may be removed or remain on the assembly, as desired.

This assembly may also be modified in a manner similar to that disclosed in FIGURE 10 with relation to envelope assembly 41. A frangible tie means may be provided for holding sheet 22a to ply 124. This would permit the assembly to be longitudinally cut along opposite lines spaced interiorly of the longitudinal glue lines, or these longitudinal glue lines could be eliminated in the initial construction. In either event, the frangible tie means would serve to sufliciently hold the individual sheet 22a within the envelope unit and the resultant envelope separated along cross lines 140 would have open ends in the area of the margins so that the individual sheet may be easily extracted by merely manually grasping the sheet in the interior of the assembly through the open ends and withdrawing the same against the almost unnoticeable restraining force of a frangible tie means similar to 48.

FIGURE 12 discloses a modied envelope assembly utilizing the double folded, single ply of stationery as previously discussed with regard to FIGURE 1l with the insert sheet shown in FIGURE 5. Again, insert sheet 71 is provided with the one marginal edge 72 which is to be spaced interiorly of longitudinal glue line and is provided with the long transverse die cut slits 74 separated by short tie means 75 so as to provide a frangible connection which will aord easy separation of the sheets along these transverse lines.

Stationery ply 160 which forms the envelope enclosure includes a center section 160a and opposite side flaps 1601) and 160C which may be folded about longitudinal lines 161a and 161b, respectively, to form the envelope enclosure. Control punch holes 162 may be formed in the margins on'either side of lines 161a and 1611) so as to substantially overlie each other in registration when the assembly is completed to assist in pin feeding of the assembly.

As shown, the ply 160 is provided with longitudinally extending lines of adhesive 173, one line of which, adjacent fold line 16111, lies outside of the longitudinal edge 72 of insert sheet 71. Transverse glue lines 173a are also provided.

Flap 160e is first folded upon the assembly and then flap 160b is folded thereover, overlapping portions of the two flaps being secured in the area of cross glue lines 17351. The insert sheet 71 is captivated by the one longitudinal glue line 173 and the longitudinally spaced transverse glue line 173:1, the other longitudinal glue line lying outside of edge 72. A transverse line of weakening 176a is provided generally bisecting transverse glue lines 173a to provide a means for separating the assembly into individual envelope units. The marginal material containing the control punch openings may remain or may be removed, as shown in FIGURE l2, along opposite marginal lines 176.

The assembly may also be provided with a longitudinally extending line of weakening 176 which is intended to lie slightly -interiorly of the line of adhesive 173 along that margin of the assembly wherein the insert sheet 71 overlies adhesive line 173. Thus the user may gain access to the interior of the envelope by tearing along line 176 and will be able to extract the individual sheets from each envelope unit bypulling against the negligible resistance offered by the tie means 75 between the long die cut slits 74.

The far right portion of FIGURE 12 shows a modification of this assembly wherein the marginal edges 177 and 177a are cut along a line spaced interiorly of the glue lies 173 so that the individual envelopes will be provided with open ends and insert sheet 71 may be extracted by merely reaching into the interior of the envelope and pulling against the slight resistance of the tie means 75. This cut along line 177 will -actually sever a portion of insert sheet 71 along line 177', but, of course, the printed matter contained thereon may be so registered as to fall within the boundary defined lby marginal edges 72 and 177. As previously discussed, such an assembly could be originally formed omitting the longitudinal glue lines 173.

FIGURE 13 discloses a modification utilizing a stationery ply similar to that shown in FIGURES 11 and 12 with the insert sheet as shown in FIGURE 6. Here stationery ply 180 is also provided with a central section 180a having longitudinally extending lines 181a and 181b which define longitudinally extending ap portions 180C and 18001'. Transverse lines of adhesive 182 are longitudinally spaced along the ply and longitudinally extending lines of adhesive 182a extend near fold lines 181a and 181b. Insert sheet 77 has its two margins 78 and 79 spaced interiorly of the two longitudinally extending adhesive lines 182a, but it continuously extends across the transverse lines lof adhesive 182.

Lines of weakening 85 are provided in insert sheet 77 so as to lie interiorly on either side of cross lines of adhesive 182. Similarly, the stationery ply 180 is provided with transverse lines of weakening 185 which are intended to substantially register with lines 85 to provide a means for severing the stationery. Control punch openings 190 are provided along either side of the lines 181a and 181b for pin feed control purposes during assembly.

vFlap 180d is first folded inwardly over the assembly and then flap 180o` over the remaining portion of the assembly slightly overlapping iiap d. Again the portions of transverse glue lines 182 of the overlapping flap 180C serve to enclose the structure in this area. A transverse line of weakening 191 is then provided across the stationery generally ybisecting glue lines 182 for separating the assembly into individual envelope units along lines 191. The individual unit may then be opened by tearing along the lines and through lines of weakening 85 to open the tops and bottoms of the individual envelopes so that the sheet 77 will be separated from the portions captivated in the transverse glue lines and may be easily extracted from the interior, keeping in mind that the longitudinal marginal edges of the original ply 77 are spaced inwardly from the longitudinally extending glue lines which may serve to seal the enclosure. The marginal material containing the control punch openings may be removed prior to mailing or left on at the discretion of the customer. If removed, the marginal material could be cut along a line 195 which would be slightly outside of the glue lines 182a so that the envelope received by the recipient would be a completely enclosed assembly.

The far left portion of FIGURE 13 discloses a slight modification of the prior structure wherein longitudinally extending glue lines 182a are not provided so that the two sides of the individual envelopes are open in the area of the edges dened by lines 195 after removal of the marginal material. This may still necessitate tearing along lines 185 to gain acces tos the interior of the envelope. One modification of this form might be the provision of long slits 74, as shown in FIGURE 12, and narrow ties 75, so that the recipient might merely extract the insert sheet by reaching through the open sides and pulling against the slight negligible retention of the narrow ties.

FIGURE 14 illustrates another form of folding a single ply of stationery to form the envelope enclosure with the same three disclosed forms of insert plies. There the stationery ply is folded about a single line to form the envelope enclosure for the insert material.

For example, in FIGURE 14, stationery ply 224 is provided with one generally centrally located longitudinally extending fold line 225. Opposite side margins, such as 226 and 227, are provided with pin feed openings 228. If desired, pin feed openings could also be `formed on either side of fold line 225. Insert ply 10 may be used, having one margin 1 2 which overlies one margin 227 of the stationery ply 224, with pin feed openings 14 generally in registration with openings 228 to assist in initial registration and feeding of the material. Opposite margin 18 is spaced inwardly of a longitudinal glue line 230.

The assembly may `be partially folded about line 225 and the opposite margin 14 of sheet 10 may be removed in the Ipreviously described fashion. The fold may be completed with the opposite margins 226 and 227 overlying ea'ch other to forman envelope enclosure with individual sheets 22a therein having opposite side margins 18 and 33 spaced slightly inwardly from the longitudinally extending lines of adhesive 230. The transverse lines of adhesive 232 will lie slightly Within the transverse die cut portions 20 of sheet 10 so that when the assembly is folded upon itself as shown in the second frame of FIGURE 14, the insert sheet 22a will be maintained in registration by its close proximity to the box-like confinement of the longitudinal and transverse glue lines.

A half-moon die cut 236 may be provided so as to cooperate with a longitudinally extending line of weakening 238 which is positioned in the very minute area between marginal edge 18 and longitudinal glue line 230 so that the assembly may be torn about this line of weakening 238 and, with the cooperation of the half-moon die cut 236, the free insert sheet 22a may be easily extracted from the assembly. Transversely extending lines of weakening 240 may be provided generally bisecting the transverse glue lines 232 to provide a means for separating the continuous assembly into individual envelope units along these lines. As shown in the third frame of FIG- URE 14, the one margin containing the now overlapping opposite side margins having the control punch openings may be removed prior to use by a sender or remain thereon at the senders option.

It is to be understood that the envelope assembly may be so formed as to eliminate the need -for the longitudinally extending line of adhesive 230. In this case, fold line 225 would be immediately adjacent marginal edge 18 so that retention and registration would be obtained through the close proximity of marginal edge 18 with fold line 22S.

This embodiment shown in FIGURE 14 could also be modified in a manner similar to that shown in FIGURE 10 wherein the assembly is cut along marginal lines to the interior of the longitudinally extending glue lines to thereby provide the individual envelopes with at least `one open side. Frangible tie means similar to 48 could be provided to insure that the free insert sheet 22a remains within the assembly. However, as previously explained, the insert sheet could Ibe easily withdrawn against the almost negligible retention afforded by such a tie means. Also, it is to be understood that in this form utilizing a frangible tie 48, the longitudinally extending glue lines 230 and 234 may be initially dispensed with.

It is to be understood that insert plies 71 and 77 could e incorporated in a single folded continuous ply similar to ply 224 shown in FIGURE 14. In such a case, the completed envelope assembly could have the one margin containing the control punch openings removed or both margins cut along a line inside of a line of gluing to provide two open sides as shown in FIGURES 12 and 13 with reference to the double folded single ply.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. An assembly of stuffed envelopes, comprising: overlying continuous plies defining fronts and backs of envelopes, and insert material within each envelope, said envelopes being delimited by cross lines of weakening in the continuous plies for defining a plurality of individual, series connected, envelopes separable from the assembly; means securing spaced portions of the front and back plies together to form an envelope pocket within each envelope for said insert material, said insert material being divided into insert sheets having marginal edges closely adjacent, but unattached to said means securing the plies together to hold the free insert material in desired registration position within the envelope pocket through peripheral confinement of the insert sheet, and means for opening the envelope pocket, and exposing the free insert material for removel Ifrom the pocket.

2. The envelope assembly of claim 1 wherein said means for opening the envelope pocket includes a line of weakening formed inside at least one of the adhesive means in said front and back plies providing a tear-off strip for opening the envelope pocket.

3. The envelope assembly of claim 1 wherein the overlying plies defining the envelope fronts and backs constitute a single sheet folded longitudinally upon itself.

4. The envelope assembly of claim 1 wherein the means for opening the envelope pocket is afforded by providing a spaced interruption of the means securing the plies together to yfacilitate insertion of a letter opening tool.

5. The envelope assembly of claim 1 wherein said inseit sheets are secured by frangible means to a portion of the adjacent ply which forms a part of the envelope.

6. The envelope assembly of claim 5 wherein said means for opening the envelope pocket includes a line of weakening formed inside at least one of the adhesive means in said front and back plies providing a tear-off strip for opening the envelope pocket.

7. The envelope assembly of claim 5 wherein said means for opening the envelope vpocket is afforded by utilizing an easily releasable adhesive means for securing at least some portion of the lfront and back plies together to form an envelope pocket whereby access to the interior of the pocket may be gained by merely peeling back the plies in the area of the easily releasable adhesive means.

8. The envelope assembly of claim 5 wherein the envelope pocket is provided with at least one open side so that the insert sheet may be removed from the envelope pocket by merely reaching into the pocket and extracting the sheet therefrom against the easily broken force of the frangible means securing the sheet to a portion of the overlying ply.

9. A stuffed envelope assembly, comprising: overlying continuous plies defining fronts and backs of envelopes and at least one insert material ply between the front and back plies, means defining lines of weakening extending across the plies transversely dividing the plies into a plurality of individual, series connected envelopes separable -from the assembly at the top and bottom of each envelope, means joining the fronts and backs of each envelope together to form an envelope pocket within each envelope for said insert material ply; said insert material ply being narrow in relation to the sides defined by the overlying plies providing free marginal edges for the insert material within each envelope, said insert material extending continuously lengthwise through the assembly and being connected to top and bottom areas of each envelope; and means for releasing said insert material and extracting the same from the interior of the envelope.

10. The envelope assembly of claim 9 wherein said means for releasing the insert material includes a line of weakening extending across the top and bottom of each sealed outer envelope and through the insert material inside the means joining the fronts and backs together to form an envelope pocket, permitting opening of the envelope and extraction of the insert material upon removing only the top and bottom of the envelope through the provision of the line of weakening.

11. The envelope assembly of claim 9 wherein the overlying plies defining the envelope fronts and backs constitute a single sheet folded longitudinally upon itself.

12. The envelope assembly of claim 9 wherein said means for releasing the insert material includes an interruption in the means joining the fronts and backs of the envelopes together to permit the insertion of a letter opening tool for gaining access to the interior of the pocket.

13. The envelope assembly of claim 9 wherein said means for releasing the insert material is afforded by securing the fronts and backs of the envelopes together in at least a limited -portion by means of an easily releasable adhesive so that access may be had to the interior of the envelope pocket by separating the pocket in the area of the easily releasable adhesive to gain access to the interior of the envelope pocket.

14. The envelope assembly of claim 9 wherein the envelopes are provided with at least one Open side and wherein the means for releasing the insert material includes a line of weakening in the insert ply inside the line of adherance securing the ply at the top and bottom areas of each envelope.

15. An assembly of stuffed envelopes, comprising: overlying continuous plies defining fronts and backs of envelopes and insert material within each envelope, said envelopes being delimited by cross lines of weakening in the plies for defining a plurality of individual, series connected envelopes separable from the assembly, the insert material ply having one margin spaced inwardly from the adjacent margins of the front and back plies so as to be `free from attachment to one margin of the envelope; means securing the plies together to form an envelope pocket for the insert material with said one inwardly spaced margin free from attachment to said securing means and with said insert material ply secured to the top and bottom areas of each envelope; means forming a line of weakening in said insert material ply inside the means securing the insert ply to the top and bottom of each envelope to provide a means for manually extracting the insert ply from the envelope pocket; and means for gaining access to the envelope pocket to facilitate manual extraction of the insert ply.

16. An assembly of stuffed, sealed envelopes, comprising: superimposed plies defining front and backs of sealed envelopes and insert material within each sealed envelope, said sealed envelopes being delimited by cross-lines of weakening in the plies for separating each envelope from the assembly, the insert material ply having one margin spaced inwardly from the adjacent margins of the lfront and back plies so as to be free from attachment to the sealed envelope, adhesive means securing the front and back and insert plies together along three margins of the sealed envelope and said front and back plies together along a fourth margin to seal said envelope, means forming a line of weakening in said insert ply inside said adhesive means along two of said three margins and a line of weakening through the front, back and insert ply inside the adhesive means along the third of said three margins forming a tear-off strip for opening the envelope, said insert being removable from within the envelope upon manual extraction with force to break the insert ply loose from the front and back plies along said two lines of weakening.

17. The envelope assembly of claim 16 wherein the means for gaining access to the interior of the envelope comprises a line of weakening extending across one side of the envelope plies forming a tear-olf strip for opening the envelope.

18. The envelope assembly of claim 16 wherein the means for gaining access to the interior of the envelope comprises an interruption in the means securing the plies together to form an envelope pocket to facilitate insertion of an envelope opening tool.

19. The envelope assembly of claim 16 wherein said means for gaining access to the interior of the envelope pocket is afforded by securing the plies together in at least a limited area by means of an easily releasable adhesive so that access may be had to the interior of the envelope pocket by peeling away a portion ply in the area of the easily releasable adhesive; and wherein said means for extracting the insert ply loose includes a line of weakening formed along the margin of the ply opposite the inwardly spaced margin.

20. The envelope assembly of claim 16 wherein the overlying plies defining the envelope fronts and backs constitute a single sheet folded longitudinally -upon itself.

21. The envelope assembly of claim 16 wherein the sheet is folded about itself along one line which defines one margin of the assembly and wherein the opposite marginal edges of the sheet are superposed one relative to the other to define the other margin of the envelope assembly.

22. An assembly of stuffed, sealed envelopes, cornprising: superimposed plies defining fronts and backs of sealed envelopes and insert material within each sealed envelope, said sealed envelopes being delimited by crosslines of weakening in the plies for separating each envelope `from the assembly; adhesive means securing the front and back plies together in a closed pattern forming an envelope pocket for said insert material, said insert material ply being divided into insert sheets having margins closely adjacent said adhesive means securing the front and back plies together to hold the insert material in desired registration position within the envelope pocket, and means forming a line of weakening inside at least one adhesive means in said front and back plies providing a tear-off strip for opening the envelope pocket exposing the insert material for removal from the pocket.

23. A stuffed, sealed envelope assembly, comprising: superimposed plies defining fronts and backs of sealed outer envelopes and insert material within each sealed envelope, means delining lines of weakening extending across the plies dividing the plies at the top and bottom of each envelope in said series for separating the sealed envelopes from the assembly, adhesive means joining the fronts and backs of each sealed outer envelope in a closed pattern forming an envelope pocket for said insert material, said insert material ply being narrow in relation to said front and back plies and extending continuously through and adhered into the top and bottom areas of each envelope so that the insert ply has free marginal edges within the envelope pocket, and means for opening the envelope and releasing said insert material including a line of weakening extending across the top and bottom of the sealed outer envelope and through the insert ply inside said adhesive means permitting opening the envelope and extraction of the insert upon `removing only the top and bottom of the envelope.

24. An assembly of stuffed envelopes, comprising: overlying continuous plies defining fronts and backs of envelopes and insert material within each envelope, said assembly being delimited by cross lines of weakening in the continuous plies for separating each envelope from the assembly; easily releasable adhesive means securing portions of the front and back plies together to form an envelope pocket -for said insert material, said insert material ply being divided into insert sheets having margins connected to said means securing the plies together to hold the insert material in desired registration position within the envelope pocket, whereby access to the interior of the pocket may be gained by peeling back the plies in the area of the easily releasable adhesive means, exposing the insert material for removel from the pocket.

25. An assembly of continuous form envelopes, comprising: overlying continuous plies defining fronts and backs of envelopes, said envelopes being delimited by cross lines of weakening in the continuous plies for dening a plurality of individual, series connected, envelopes separable from the assembly; easily releasable adhesive means for securing the front and back plies together in spaced areas to form an envelope pocket; and message bearing means including an indicia bearing face normally exposed only within said spaced areas wherein access to the interior of the pocket may be gained by peeling back the plies in the area of the easily releasable adhesive means to separate the same and expose said message bearing means to View.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,148,886 2/ 1939 Wanser 229-69 3,104,799 9/1963` Steidinger 229-69 3,186,735 6/ 1965 Haurahan 282--25 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

D. M. iBOCKENEK, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,339,827 September 5, 1967 Donald J; Stednger It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the heading to the printed specification, line 5, for "Varco Incorporated" read Uarco Incorporated Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD I. BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. AN ASSEMBLY OF STUFFED ENVELOPES, COMPRISING: OVERLYING CONTINUOUS PLIES DEFINING FRONTS AND BACKS OF ENVELOPES, AND INSERT MATERIAL WITHIN EACH ENVELOPE, SAID ENVELOPES BEING DELIMITED BY CROSS LINES OF WEAKENING IN THE CONTINUOUS PLIES FOR DEFINING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL, SERIES CONNECTED, ENVELOPES SEPARABLE FROM THE ASSEMBLY; MEANS SECURING SPACED PORTIONS OF THE FRONT AND BACK PLIES TOGETHER TO FORM AN ENVELOPE POCKET WITHIN EACH ENVELOPE FOR SAID INSERT MATERIAL, SAID INSERT MATERIAL BEING DIVIDED INTO INSERT SHEETS HAVING MARGINAL EDGES CLOSELY ADJACENT, BUT UNATTACHED TO SAID MEANS SECURING THE PLIES TOGETHER TO HOLD THE FREE INSERT MATERIAL IN DESIRED REGISTRATION POSITION WITHIN THE ENVELOPE POCKET THROUGH PERIPHERAL CONFINEMENT OF THE INSERT SHEET, AND MEANS FOR OPENING THE ENVELOPE POCKET, AND EXPOSING THE FREE INSERT MATERIAL FOR REMOVAL FROM THE POCKET. 